Tree news for planners and ecologists
Posted in:
Conservation, Development, Ecology, Trees, Urban Ecosystems
Date posted: 2 February 2019
Protecting and Enhancing England’s Trees and Woodlands
In December 2008, Defra announced its Consultation on Protecting and Enhancing England’s Trees and Woodlands. This sets out the UK government’s proposals to introduce four new measures designed to increase transparency and accountability with regard to trees and woodland, namely:
- a duty on local authorities to consult on the felling of street trees;
- a duty on local authorities to report on tree felling and replanting;
- the production of best practice guidelines to support local authorities in drawing up, consulting on and publishing a Tree and Woodland Strategy; and
- give the Forestry Commission more powers to tackle illegal tree felling and strengthen protection of wooded landscapes.
Street Trees, Bristol | © Alar Ecology
The consultation closes on 28 February 2019. More details can be found here:
The Ancient Woodland Inventory
A Private Members’ Bill was introduced to Parliament on Wednesday 23 January 2019 under the Ten Minute Rule. The Bill makes provision for the periodic updating of the Ancient Woodland Inventory for England. The next stage for this Bill, the Second Reading, is scheduled to take place on Friday 15 March 2019.
Ancient Woodland | © Alar Ecology
A video of the introduction of the Bill by its sponsor, Michael Fabricant MP, can be seen here:
Beech Leaf Disease
Beech leaf disease (BLD) is spreading rapidly across North America and has been described in the journal Forest Pathology as an ‘emerging forest epidemic’. A recently published article warns that “… BLD poses a threat to global forests as symptoms of the disease were [also] detected on European (F. sylvatica) .. beech species in nurseries in north‐eastern Ohio”. The authors go on to state that: “Relevant stakeholders are advised to be alert for BLD symptoms in beech forests in the Northern Hemisphere, and substantial resources should be invested in understanding this emerging forest disease.”
Beech Woodland | Pixabay.com
More details here:
Beech is already under threat from from climate change . Under a high emissions scenario, beech woodland will be much reduced by the 2050s according to the Forestry Commission. Added to which, this species is already susceptible to root rot, bark disease and bark stripping by grey squirrels. If it reaches our shores, could BLD be the final nail in the coffin for this iconic species?
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